Parents of St. Francis Buhunga High School in Buhunga Sub-county, Rukungiri District, have expressed deep frustration over decades of government neglect, threatening to withdraw from political participation unless urgent action is taken to improve the school’s infrastructure.
During the school’s annual Parents-Teachers Association (PTA) meeting held on Saturday, they threatened to withdraw from political participation unless urgent action is taken to improve the school’s infrastructure.
Former school board member Augustine Muhumuza expressed disappointment, saying the government has ignored the school for over 40 years. He questioned the value of participating in upcoming elections when their repeated pleas have gone unanswered.
“What reason do we have as parents to vote when our cries fall on deaf ears?” Muhumuza asked.
Other parents and alumni, including Deus Muhwera, Nazario Kabangyira, and Geoffrey Rwamahe, described the shame and anguish of seeing their children study in dilapidated classrooms, while teachers live in conditions they likened to animal shelters.
“We have done everything within our power as parents, but our efforts are constantly undermined by the lack of government support,” said Kabangyira. “We feel betrayed.”
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The school’s head teacher, Julius Mugisha Kakwara, painted a grim picture of the school’s state revealing that since its founding in 1984, St. Francis Buhunga has never received a single government-constructed building.
Mugisha emphasized the urgent need for facilities, including science laboratories, a functional library, and appropriate dormitory space, particularly for female students.
“The situation is dire,” he said. “Sixty-five percent of our teachers live outside the school. Those who stay on campus reside in crumbling structures built more than 40 years ago. I personally live in a room that used to be the school canteen.”
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In response, Deputy District Internal Security Officer (D/DISO) Samuel Kamugisha, who represented the Rukungiri Resident District Commissioner (RDC), urged parents not to politicize the matter. He assured them that their concerns had been noted and would be forwarded to the relevant authorities for action.
Despite the infrastructural challenges, St. Francis Buhunga High School ranked second in Rukungiri District in both the 2024 Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) and Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations.
